Hi
This week I put into the weather forecasters for some nice skies and boy did we get some, according to the square box the Cowichan Valley was the warmest place in Canada.
Seven counters got under way and it was not long before we found our first swans at the rest stop beside Somenos Marsh with 17 birds present.
We quickly made it around to the lake but with just a few swans, our attention was drawn to a big flock of Ruddy Ducks in front of the far shore, I started to count and when I had finished my total was 85, what a lovely show.
Onwards we went with Sheila telling us about the good numbers of swans that were at the Quist Farm, but when we got there just 12 were visible, these birds seem to be there one day and gone the next.
As always on our route many little bits of useless information get banded around the vehicle and this week was no exception, crossword puzzles had been mentioned many times before and this week saw some comments of just who puts them together and their mental state. I personally don’t bother with such things except to find the six differences in pictures in the TV guide, now there’s a challenge, I have got it down to below 30 minutes now. I was told that sleeping with ones Blackberry under ones pillow is good if you wake up and remember all the things you forgot that day you just punch in the info and go back to sleep. I would have trouble with this as all my pennies are under my pillow and if I wake up I just start counting after about a $1.50 I’m snoring again.
Enough of this dribble, we worked our way around to Tom Windsor Drive and by this time we were well on our way to 500 Canada Geese. The local Red-tailed Hawk sat on a hydro pole for us all to see.
Hwy. 18 had one swan for the second time this season, this called for drastic action so we made for A&W to see if we could shake off this lack of swans. After a quick break it was on to Corfield and Sahilton Roads, Peggy threw a bit of a loop here and took us around some shops before she found Sahilton. We soon found over 150 swans and over 600 Canada Geese in the fields, also here were our over wintering Greater White-fronted Geese all 8 of them looking wonderful under the bright sunshine.
Behind one of the farms on Koksilah Road west we found another 36 swans, we were now on a roll and it was not long before the numbers climbed substantially with another 85 swans around the Bench and Wilson Road areas.
We then hit a dry spell with not much found until Jim’s Pond where for the first time this season we had some Canada Geese.
Off of Telegraph Road we added both numbers of swans and geese and then to Koksilah Road east where once again this week found many birds with nearly 150 swans and 400 geese.
Dinsdale’s Farm was dead and only a few swans were found on the Dock Road. As the party got back in the van a posse of Common Ravens flew over and disturbed a Northern Shrike out of one of the fields, but none of the others got to see it as it done a disappearing act.
Our day ended with:
2 Mute Swans
504 Trumpeter Swans
1669 Canada Geese
8 Greater White-fronted Geese
15 Bald Eagles
7 Red-tailed Hawks
There was a general lack of dickie birds this week with hardly any seen on our travels, that’s what happens when the sun shines.
A job well done by all.
Thanks to Peggy for the driving and to Bob,Daryl,Dorothy,Eric and Sheila for their great company.
Derrick